"Shiva, mujhe baat karni hai tujhse." Gaurav said impatiently, after clearing up the vessels post-dinner.

"Haa bol." Shiva looked once at him, before wiping the table.

"Accha, sun na Shiva, mai zara neeche utar rahi hoon. Richa, Sakshi sab aaye hai, aa jaungi 15-20 minute mein, theek hai?" Raavi grabbed the keys and her wallet, closing the door behind her.

"Dhyaan rakh!" He called out to her, and heard a muffled 'okay' from behind the door. "Haa, Gaurav. Tu kya bol raha tha?"

"Tune aaj Mahi se jaise baat ki, mujhe accha nahi laga."

Shiva turned to face him, "I'm sorry about that, okay? But baat ho gayi na woh dono ki? So let's leave it?"

"No. Bohot rude tha, you should apologise to her." He folded his arms.

"Gaurav, agar Mahi khud aake bolegi, toh mai maafi maang lunga. Par usse uski galti samajh aa gayi na, toh tu kyu pakad ke baitha hai ye baat abhi tak?" Shiva argued.

"Because I didn't like it. Simple. Tujhe bhi nahi pasand aata jab koi Raavi ke baare mein bolta hai. Same thing."

"It's not the same thing, Gaurav. Raavi ke defense mein bolne ke liye mai maafi nahi maangunga. Chod na yaar, kyu dimaag ka dahi kar raha hai sone se pehle?" He asked irritatedly.

"Tu badal gaya hai, Shiva. Bohot badal gaya." Gaurav said, and Shiva threw the cloth he was holding on the floor.

"Kya badal gaya? Nahi, aisa kya ho gaya hai jo tu itna drama kar raha hai?" Shiva tapped his foot impatiently.

"Woh ladki ke aane ke baad tera kuch zyaada hi ho raha hai-"

"Raavi. Raavi naam hai uska. Izzat se." Shiva pointed at Gaurav angrily.

"Tu rehne de. Uske aane ke baad ye ghar kuch ZYAADA hi badal gaya. I hate these changes. Ek number ki panauti lagti hai woh-"

"AYYYEEE!" Shiva grabbed Gaurav's collar, seething in anger. "Woh SIRF meri panauti hai. Apna ye muh bandh rakh, warna TOD DUNGA."

"Chod collar Shiva. Kaisa junglee bann jaata hai uske zikr se. CHOD!" Gaurav struggled against his hold, "Aaj tak kabhi aisa nahi kiya hai tune. Uss kal ki aayi ladki ke liye, tu humari dosti bhul gaya."

"Aye!" Shiva let go of his collar, snapping his finger in his face, "Pehli baat, mai aisa hi hu, humesha se. Aur dusri baat, mai dosti mein umar, time kuch nahi dekhta. Lekin tujhe hisaab lagana hi hai, toh chal."

Shiva rolled up his sleeves, and grabbed a chair, sitting on it with his hands clasped and arms resting on his knees. "Mai tujhe kitne time se jaanta hu? 3 saal se. Mai uss chipkali ko kabse jaanta hu, pata hai? 3 saal ki umar se. Meri puri zindagi mein woh ek insaan hai jo humesha constant rahi hai. Toh agar tu ye hisaab karne baithega, toh khaate mein hoga."

He got up and walked towards Gaurav, "Izzat chahiye, toh izzat dena bhi aana chahiye. Bade baap ka beta hai, iska matlab ye nahi ki sab tere aage jhukenge, samjha?"

"I.... Don't... Care!" Gaurav spat, and Shiva rolled his eyes, "I don't want her here, and that's it. Woh panauti hai, toh hai. Mujhe toh lagta hai Mrs. Fernandes ko bhi uski nazar lag gayi, that's why she-"

"SHUT UP, GAURAV. JUST SHUT UP." Shiva grabbed his collar even tighter this time, almost raising Gaurav off the floor.

"I... won't shut up. Sun le tu bhi."

"Tera mooh todne mein 2 second nahi lagega-"

"SHIVA BAS. STOP IT! STOP IT, PLEASE!"

Shiva let him go as soon as he heard her, her broken voice.

Raavi stood at the door, presumably having heard the entire conversation from the look of disbelief on her face.

"Stop it, you two. Shiva, bas kar. Just.... please." She sighed, and turned towards Gaurav. "Agar mai apna phone lene waapas nahi aati, toh ye mujhe pata nahi chalta. Have the balls to say it to my face instead of fighting with Shiva about me."

"And for your kind information and possible happiness, mujhe nayi jagah mil gayi." Her eyes fluttered towards Shiva, and she looked away immediately.

He'll know. Don't look at him, or he'll know.

"Raavi, bakwaas mat kar, tujhe kahi bhi jaane ki koi zaroorat nahi hai. I need to you know you'll be okay, damn it!" Shiva grabbed her arms and pulled her closer to him, and she gently eased his fingers off her arms.

"Bakwaas nahi kar rahi. I found a place, kal waha jaaungi dopahar ko. 12 hours. It's 12 AM now, kal 12 baje tak I'll be gone, okay? 12 ghante jhel lega, Gaurav?" Raavi stepped away, raising her palms in defeat.

"Muh pe acche banne ki acting mat kar, tujhse better dost toh Shashank tha. Jo tha, muh pe tha mere. Aur Shiva toh mera bhootnath hi hai humesha se, he's always been the same. Apni acchai le, and shove it up your ass. I don't give a shit anymore."

Raavi stepped away angrily, grabbing her jacket and phone, and slamming the door behind her.

"Raavi-" Shiva called out after her, but she had slammed the door shut, and he turned to Gaurav. "Now YOU upset HER. Jaa maafi maang. Maang na! Maangega maafi? Bol, MAANGEGA MAAFI?!"

Gaurav stood silently, not uttering a word. "Ek baat bata," Shiva prodded on, "Ye ek dedh mahine mein, has there been even one day jaha hum khush nahi the? Arre woh chipkali ne entry kya maari, we have never been THIS happy before!"

"I have to agree with Shiva." Shashank stepped forward, "Woh acchi dost hai, she'll make a good addition to our group."

"Tujhe toh uske presence se chidh hoti thi na? Ab kya hua?" Gaurav asked, irritated on losing the upper hand of the argument

"Keh toh raha hoon, bilkul humari jaisi hai woh. She reminds me of my sister. Woh buri nahi hai, Gaurav." He said, keeping a hand on his shoulder.

"Kaha dhundhu mai iss ladki ko ab? Muh fulake chali gayi." Shiva grabbed his phone, calling her multiple times, but she declined each time.

Then it struck him. He knew exactly where she'd be.

"Mai usse leke aata hoon." Shiva grabbed the house keys, and proceeded to leave when he heard Gaurav's voice.

"Maan kyu nahi leta, ki she affects you because you have feelings for her?"

Shiva stopped in his tracks, his mind whirring its gears, heart thudding against his chest, hearing the words his brain would voice out some day.

"Stay out of it, Gaurav. Just stay the hell out of it."

.......

Raavi sat under the stars, the light from the opposite buildings flashing in front of her eyes, the few cars on the road zooming past, as she put her earphones in, blocking the sounds of the world with blissful voice of-

She felt a cold tap on her shoulder, and she turned to find Shiva nudging her with a cold can of beer.

"Hey." She smiled softly at him, wrapping the earphones around her phone and keeping it aside, taking the can from his hand.

"Mujhe pata tha tu idhar hi hogi." Shiva pointed around at the terrace of the building, sitting down next to her. "Gaurav ke liye sorry. Pata nahi kis baat ke itne mood swings ho rahe hai usse."

"It's fine, Shiva. Mujhe kuch khaas bura nahi laga, but that Mrs. Fernandes thing he said was very rude. It hurt me." Raavi stared ahead blankly, sipping from the can.

"Jaanta hu." Shiva shifted closer to her, such that their knees occasionally bumped into each other.

They sat in a comfortable silence, passing the beer can back and forth between each other, Shiva glancing at her to make sure she was okay.

He did not appreciate the tone Gaurav caught when he spoke to her. All she had been since she'd come here, was a ray of sunshine in their otherwise sort-of boring bachelor lives.

He doesn't know about the others, but he certainly missed the 'kick' she brought along with her, literally and figuratively (he almost laughed remembering the time she had kicked him off the bed when they were young, napping 6 year olds)

Shiva had missed her. He never denied that. He always missed her when she had stopped talking to him, something or the other around him would remind him of her. Reminding him that she was the missing piece to his puzzle of life.

Seeing her at his doorstep that day, out of the blue, shaking and scared, with marks on her cheeks and arms, had scared the wits out of him.

Since that day, he always had a lingering question on his mind, but it was either to early or she seemed so happy that he pushed that thought aside, saving it for later.

Now, when it was just the two of them on the terrace, maybe she'd open up to him?

"Ek sawaal puchu, chipkali?"

"Hmm?"

"Arjun ne tujhe kyu maara?"

Raavi turned to look at him, and for a moment she felt like he was mocking her. But the sincerity in his eyes and the care behind his question pushed away that thought.

She hadn't told anyone what had happened that day, except her Maasi. Only she knew the reason, and Raavi knew there was only one other person she could trust with that information.

"Nahi, matlab, tujhe batane ki zaroorat nahi hai if you're uncomfortable," Shiva said quickly, "I thought tujhe halka lagega, agar tu share kare, but maine bas aise hi-"

"Because I said no."

Shiva furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, but decided to keep quiet and save his questions until she was ready to answer them.

"I refused to have sex with him."

Shiva stared at her revelation, dumbfounded, not knowing how to react. He always knew Arjun was a jerk, but such asshole behaviour he didn't expect.

"I don't want pity, Shiva. Aise mat dekh mujhe." Raavi said, without even looking at him.

"I...." She sighed, and felt Shiva entangle his pinky with hers, "It didn't feel right at all. Woh jab mujhe touch kar raha tha, toh suddenly I didn't like it anymore. I didn't want him touching me, or around me. Mere dimaag mein sirens baj rahe the. Bohot weird feeling tha, jaise ki I would regret it if I went through with it. Toh maine mana kar diya. Uske senior male ego ko itna chubha rejection ki usne....."

Raavi bit her lip and looked away, and Shiva looked at his feet. How he felt like punching that ass for the way he treated Raavi. She deserved to be treated like the most important girl in one's life, not like some use-and-throw rag doll.

"Mai jab waha se bhaagi na Shiva," She turned to look at him, tightening her hold on their entangled pinkies, whispering in wobbling voice, "Toh mujhe sirf humara jhagda yaad aaya. Kaise tune mujhe warn kiya tha uske baare mein, par maine teri ek nahi suni."

"I'm sorry, Shiva." She whispered, tears pooling in her eyes. "I should have listened to you. Kabhi kabhi raat ke beech mujhe yaad aata hai woh din, aur itna darr baith jaata hai dil mein, so nahi paati waapas. Mai kitna darr gayi thi, tujhe koi idea nahi. Waha se bhaag gayi aur seedha tere paas aayi. Mujhe sirf tere saath safe feel hota hai, Shiva. Only you."

She leaned into him, resting her forehead on his shoulder, sniffling.

"Shhh. You're here now with me. I'll always protect you, Raavi. Always." He said softly, clasping her palm in his, patting her head with his right hand.

Raavi raised her head to look at him, and sat straighter, wiping her moist eyes, letting go of their clasped hands.

"Tujhse kuch puchungi, toh gussa nahi karega na?"

"Puch."

"Tune Malvika ko kyu choda, even when it hurt you to do so?"

Shiva looked at her, and innocence in her eyes made him want to steal her away from this evil world and keep her safe and sound from all the nazar people have been casting on her.

Raavi pouted at his expression, "You promised no gussa-"

"She cheated on me. Dhokha diya tha usne mujhe."

Raavi's pout turned into a frown, which turned into a soft, concerned expression as she watched Shiva stare ahead.

"Usse bas college ka smart ladka as a trophy boyfriend chahiye tha. Padhai ke saare kaam mujhse, and baaki sab with that other guy." He sighed, shaking his head. "Pehle ke chaar mahine, she genuinely was in the relationship, par aakhri 2 mahine mein, she felt distant. Aur phir ek din usse surprise karne uske ghar pe gaya, toh...."

"Toh?" Raavi asked softly, placing her palm on his, resting on their knees.

"I caught her with her guy. Break up karne ki himmat bhi nahi thi usme, toh mai hi chod ke aa gaya usse."

"Tujhe hurt nahi hota?" Raavi asked, caressing his knuckles with her thumb.

"It hurt start mein, par fir baadme I realised jo hua, acche ke liye hua kyunki I was happier without her. Bas." He sipped the last of the beer, and tossed away the can. "Tujhe nahi hota?"

"Mhmm. Nahi. I have better things to look forward to." She looked at him and smiled, and his heart almost melted at how calm she looked in that moment.

Raavi looked at the man sitting next to her. All her life, she craved for attention and care, from anyone possible. She always wanted to make her presence be felt, because she didn't have a concrete family of her own. Yes, she had her MaasiMa and MausaPa, who were like her Ma and Papa. But that twinge of emptiness in her heart, for her mother and father couldn't be filled by anyone.

She always felt, that Shiva never ever paid attention to her. He'd always shoo her away, or fight with her, or physically drag her away from him. But now, when she looks back, he did pay attention to her. Her allergy, her favourite place to be when she's alone, the smallest observations when it came to her behaviour ; he always knew.

Sometimes she felt like Shiva knew her better than she knew herself. It was as if he could read her mind and catch her bluffs, just by looking in her eyes. Which is why she refused to look him in the eye when she claimed to leave in 12 hours.

So when she watched him give her company on a lonely night, when he clearly could be enjoying it by himself, a twinge of guilt, struck in her heart, for lying to him.

"Shiva, I lied."

Shiva turned his head to face her, and straightened himself.

"Kya?"

"Gussa mat karna, okay?"

"Okay" Shiva nodded his head, but Raavi wasn't convinced.

"Promise?" She stuck her pinky finger out, which he chuckled and entangled with his own in response.

"Promise."

Raavi sighed and bent her head to look at her legs, "I didn't find any new place."

Shiva's blank expression turned into a frown, which turned into scowl, when he realised she claimed of leaving without having a roof over her head.

"Tu pagal hai? PAGAL HO GAYI HAI KYA?" He yelled at her, and she squinted her eyes shut, expecting this.

"Dekh, tune promise kiya tha, no gussa. You can't break your vaada." Raavi pointed at him, eyes still closed.

Shiva composed himself and Raavi looked at him through one eye. He still looked angry as hell, but he was willing to listen to her.

For maximum 2 minutes. After that, she was visiting hell and back for what she did.

"Fine. 2 minute hai tere paas. Explain. NOW." Shiva gruffly said.

"See," Raavi nervously said, "Mai kaise waha rahu, when Gaurav insulted me like that? Tu rahega aise jagah mein, jaha tere baare mein log aisa bolte hai? He called me a panauti, Shiva."

Shiva fisted his hands at the mention of that godforsaken conversation, but he knew she was right.

"Tu sahi hai apni jagah, chipkali. Lekin agar kisi ko jaana chahiye, toh woh Gaurav hai. Usse zyaada problem tujhe honi chahiye, staying with 3 college going guys. Par tu toh ekdum se fit ho gayi."

"Aise nahi keh sakta na, Shiva? That's wrong, he's paying for the house as much as we all do."

Shiva sighed. She was right, but he didn't want her to go like this, not when she really doesn't want to leave.

"Acchi jagah dekhi koi?"

"Nahi." Raavi sighed, shifting closer to him. "Koi bhi hostel mein vacancy nahi hai, aur paying guests saare door hai. Ek jagah hai, par my travel time increases by an hour. I guess, wahi jaana padega-"

"DIMAG KHARAB HAI TERA?!" Shiva yelled, and Raavi held his hand.

"Rehne de, Shiva. It's my only hope. That's where I'm going, and that's final." Raavi wrapped her arms around his, resting her head on his shoulder.

"You know, you don't have to go." He murmured into her hair, resting his cheek atop her head.

Raavi snuggled more into his embrace in response, "But I have to."

Shiva clasped her hand in his, entwining their fingers, his thumb caressing the skin of her hand.

"Mat jaa na." He whispered.

"Rukne ki wajah de?" She whispered back, tilting her head up just a little.

He tilted his head to look at her, and leaned forward, resting his forehead on hers, eyes fluttering shut in the comfort that it gave.

"I need you."

Raavi closed her eyes and sighed, reaching out to place her palm on his cheek, thumb brushing his stubble, rubbing her nose against his and smiling softly, not letting go of their entwined hands.

"Gaana sunega?"

Shiva raised his head a little, the bubble of their moment taking a momentary pause, as he watched her grab her phone and unwind the earphones around it.

"Mai nahi sununga tere romantic cheesy bollywood gaane." He scoffed.

"Bollywood nahi, meri maa ke cassette tapes hai, paatal lok se dhundh nikaale the maine. She loved to sing, ussi ki recordings hai. Sunega?" Raavi forwarded one of the earphones to him.

Shiva looked at her amused, "Par tu kisiko nahi sunne deti ye, you're very protective about these recordings."

"Absolutely correct." She smiled at him, still holding the earphone out to him.

When he didn't move a muscle and looked at her with confusion, Raavi rolled her eyes. "This offer expires in 10....9....8...."

Shiva took the earphone from her hand, and Raavi giggled, wrapping her arms around his torso, his arm reaching around her shoulder, as they both listened to one of the most beautiful song covers they had ever heard, under the twinkling stars that night.

Lag jaa gale,
Ki phir ye haseen raat ho na ho
Shayad phir iss janam main
Mulaaqat ho na ho.